Deburring devices

ABSTRACT

An edge of sheet metal or other sheet material to be deburred is peened and/or rolled by plural peening or rolling elements loosely contained by a rapidly rotatable annular retainer formed with a circular, radially outwardly facing slot through which peening and/or rolling action is provided between the metal edge held at said slot and the peening elements which are being centrifugally thrown outward by rapid rotation of said retainer.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,827,270 Neilsen Aug. 6, 1974 DEBURRINGDEVICES 3,400,566 9/1968 Gauer 72/199 1 Inventor Hfldwr Neflsen, 2Juniper 31239333 24133? SZELZZFLELI: .11: 35/133 Metuchen, NJ. 08840Filed: June 14, 1973 Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson [2]] App] No:369,840 Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert Henderson [52] ILLS. Cl 72/199,29/90 A, 72/53, ABSTRACT 51 I t CH 4 72/190 An edge of sheet metal orother sheet material to be d 21d g deburred is peened and/or rolled byplural peening or 1 1e 0 earc 1 rolling elements loosely contained by arapidly rotat- 29/90 90/24 F able annular retainer formed with acircular, radially outwardly facing slot through which peening and/or[56] References cued rolling action is provided between the metal edgeheld UNITED STATES PATENTS at said slot and the peening elements whichare being 1,248,576 12/1917 Trood 72/ 199 centrifugally thrown outwardby rapid rotation of said 1,929,987 10/1933 Mead 72/190 retainer.3,094,888 6/1963 Grob 72/76 3,195,492 7/1965 Erickson 72/76 13 Claims,23 Drawing Figures PATENIEB RUB 51974 I (IIIIIIII Ell! I lllll'OIIIIIIIIIIIIIA IIIIIIIIII'IIIII SHEET 3 [IF 3 1 DEBURRING DEVICESBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Deburring of sheet metal edges has long beenaccomplished, subject to serious drawbacks, by cutting away the burrededge or by abrading it away. Quite recently, such burred edges have beenremoved by being peened away according to my US. Pat. No. 3,707,087dated Dec. 26, 1972, wherein a peening tool is formed with jaws betweenwhich the burred edge is held and moved longitudinally while said toolis rapidly hammered against the burred edge by suitable means such as,for example, a rotary hammer. The latter arrangement has done muchtoward improving deburring practices.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THIS INVENTION The present invention is based upon mydiscovery that burred edges of metal or other sheet material may bepeened and/or rolled away by employing rotary action and the resultingcentrifugal force, instead of a direct hammer action, for throwingplural peening elements such as, for example, balls or rollers, forciblyagainst the burred edge while the latter is moved longitudinally at anarea where the centrifugally-outwardly thrown peening elements arelocated.

OBJECTS OF THIS INVENTION An important object is to provide a deburringdevice in which plural peening elements may have an improved peening anddeburring effect upon a metal or other edge to be deburred.

Another important object is to structurally simplify a peening typedeburring device, thereby enabling it to be more economicallymanufactured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing whichillustrates the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a deburring device according to a firstembodiment of this invention, employing steel balls as peening elements.

FIG. 2 is a central sectional view approximately on the line 2-2 of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a deburring device according to a secondembodiment of this invention, this embodiment, like all othershereinafter enumerated, employing steel rollers as peening elements.

FIG. 4 is an exploded, central sectional view of said second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a central sectional view of said second embodiment,approximately on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, illustrating the assembledrelationship of the parts shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a reduced-scale, radial sectional view, approximately on theline 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a deburring device according to athird embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 8 is an exploded, central sectional view of said third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a central sectional view of said third embodiment,approximately on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7, illustrating the assembledrelationship of the parts shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a view of a pair of roller retainer elements of the thirdembodiment, said elements being shown angularly separated to afford aview of roller cavities formed therein.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a deburring device according to afourth embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 12 is an exploded, central sectional view of said fourthembodiment.

FIG. 13 is a central sectional view of said fourth embodimentapproximately on the line 13-13 of FIG. 11, illustrating the assembledrelationship of the parts shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a radial sectional view of said fourth embodiment,approximately on the line l4-14 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a deburring device according to a fifthembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 16 is an exploded, central sectional view of said fifth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a central sectional view of said fifth embodiment,approximately on the line 1717 of FIG. 15, illustrating the assembledrelationship of the parts shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 a radial sectional view of said fifth embodiment, approximatelyon the line 18-18 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is an exploded, central sectional view of a deburring deviceaccording to a sixth embodiment of this invention, which differs fromsaid second embodiment chiefly in the omission of opposed, relativelythinwalled cups which are provided in the second embodiment and also inomitting roller pockets provided in the second embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a central sectional view of said sixth embodiment,illustrating the assembled relationship of the parts shown in FIG. 19.

FIGS. 21, 22, and 23 are elevational views of rollers useable accordingto this invention, illustrating several of numerous possible shapes ofgrooves which may be selectively provided in rollers employed withinthis invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION THE FIRST EMBODIMENT Thedeburring device A of the first embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2 as mounted upon one end of a shaft 30, adapted to be rapidly rotatedby suitable motor means, not shown.

The device A comprises two cups 31 arranged with their insides facingeach other and spaced by a central spacing sleeve 32, these three partsbeing rigidly fixed upon the shaft 30 between an integral flange 33 ofthe latter and a nut 34 tightly threaded upon the shaft to constrain thecups to turn with the shaft.

The edges of the side walls of the cups 31 are held in spacedrelationship by the sleeve 32 to provide a continuous, circumferentialslot 35 of sufficient width to permit introduction thereinto of an edgee of a sheet metal workpiece w, which edge is to be deburred.

An inside area 36 between the two cups 31 is partially filled with steelballs 37, all of greater diameter than the width of the slot 35. Saidballs may optionally be coated with suitable abrasive material 38.

The extent of occupancy of the area 36 by the balls 37 should besufficiently great that the latter will orbit rapidly about the shaft 37as the latter and the cups 31 are rotated, but should be sufficientlylimited to enable the balls to be thrown outwardly by centrifugal forceresulting from such rotation. Circular bands 39 may be tightly fixedupon and about the side walls of the cups 31 if considered desirable ornecessary.

Thus, in operation, as an edge e of a workpiece w is held in the slot 35to protrude into the area 36 and is moved tangentially relatively to therapidly rotating device A, the balls 37 are forcefully thrown outwardlyagainst the edge e to peen away burrs therefrom. If the balls haveabrasive surfaces, they also give an abrading or polishing effect aswell as a peening effect upon the edge 2 being treated.

The other disclosed embodiments utilize rollers instead of balls, therollers, like the balls, being responsive to centrifugal force in givinga deburring effect.

THE SECOND EMBODIMENT The device B, of the second embodiment (FIGS.3-6), is constrained, like device A, to rotate with a shaft 30. Itcomprises opposed, rather deep cups 40, within which are tightlydisposed similar, annular roller carriers 41 in opposed relation.

The roller carriers 41 are formed with inner sleeves 42 which abut eachother tightly against relative angular shifting when said carriers areso firmly held between flange 33 and nut 34 on the shaft as to constrainthe parts 40 and 41 to turn with the shaft.

The edges of outer walls 43 of the carriers 41 are spaced sufficientlyto provide a continuous, circumferential slot 44 for accommodating theedge e of a workpiece w to be deburred.

The walls 43 and the sleeves 42 of the two roller carriers define,between them, a circular series of similar opposed cavities formingcomposite roller pockets 45. Each of the latter contains a separate oneof plural peening rollers 46 with such a loose fit as to enable therollers to be thrown outwardly in related pockets 45 by centrifugalforce as the device is rapidly rotated.

At their centers, each of the rollers 46 is formed with acircumferential groove 47 which may be abrasively surfaced as at 48. Therollers 46, otherwise, are of cylindrical shape.

In the operation of device B, the edge e of workpiece w is movedtangentially in the slot 44, as indicated by two straight arrows in FIG.6 while being so held therein as to be engaged forcefully by the groovesurfaces 48 of the rollers 46 as the latter are thrown outwardly againstsaid edge. Thus, the groove surfaces of the rollers peen and roll awayany burrs on the edge e, and, if the groove surfaces are abrasive, assuggested, an abrading action supplements the peening and rollingactions.

THE THIRD EMBODIMENT In the device C of the third embodiment (FIGS.7-10), there are two solid annular roller retainers 49 spaced apart by aspacing sleeve 50, which, with the two said retainers, are tightly fixedby nut 34 upon the shaft 30.

As best shown in FIG. 10, the facing inner surfaces of the two retainers49 are similarly cut out so that on each such surface there is formed acircular series of larger cavities 51 and smaller cavities 52, these twotypes of cavities being in alternate relationship in the series. Inassembled relationship, the larger cavities 51 in each retainer 49 arein direct opposition to the smaller cavities 52 of the other retainer;and each roller 53 is retained in a composite cavity 51, 52 defined byboth retainers.

The rollers 53 are cylindrical, preferably being hemispherical at theirouter ends and flat at their inner ends. The two retainers 49, asillustrated, accommodate eight such rollers in the composite cavities51, 52. Each roller is almost completely located within one of thelarger cavities 51 and, under centrifugal force, shifts angularly inthat cavity so that its inner end swings into the opposed smaller cavity52 as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 9.

In operation, rapid rotation of the device causes the alternatelyoppositely cocked rollers 53 to swing angularly outwardly to a limitedextent across the space be tween the two retainers 49 to engage oppositesides of edge e of workpiece w held between said retainers as theworkpiece is moved tangentially of the device. Thus, said edge is peenedand rolled to remove burrs therefrom.

THE FOURTH EMBODIMENT In device D of the fourth embodiment (FIGS.11-14), plural trunnioned rollers 54 are retained by side walls ofopposed shallow cups or dishes 55 between which a roller guide 56 istightly clamped on shaft 30 by a nut 34. The edges of said side wallsare so spaced as to provide a circumferential slot 57 through which therollers may partially protrude when the device is rotated.

Each of the rollers 54 has a central portion 58 formed with a groove 59,and integral trunnions 60 which extend coaxially from opposite sides ofthe central portion 54. The roller guide 56 is formed with acircumferential channel 61, and both opposite circular walls 62 of saidchannel are cut away to form therein circular series of axially alignedradial slots which open at the peripheries of the walls 62 and extendradially inwardly to such a depth as to enable a related roller 54 to befree to move completely into the channel 61 as indicated in broken linesin FIG. 12 when the device is not in use. Outward movement of therollers 54 under centrifugal force is limited by engagement of therollers trunnions with the inner faces of the sidewalls of the cups ordishes 55.

In the operation of device D, the edge e of workpiece w is movedtangentially (FIG. 14), approximately in the plane of the grooves 59 ofthe plural rollers 54 while held firmly within the orbital paths of therollers. Thus, in rapid succession, the rollers 54 peen and roll theedge e to remove burrs therefrom.

THE FIFTH EMBODIMENT The device E of the fifth embodiment (FIGS. 15-18),includes an annular spacing element 64, tightly fixed between shallowcups 65 by nut 34 upon shaft 30. The peripheral surface 66 of saidspacing element forms, with side walls 67 of said cups, a circularraceway 68 within which is contained a circular series of rollers 69.

When the shaft 30, with device E, are rotated rapidly, the rollers 69are in engagement with the inner faces of the cups side walls 67, asillustrated in FIG. 18.

The plural rollers 69 have diameters aggregating less than the length ofthe orbital path 70 (indicated by broken line in FIG. 18) to preventbinding between adjacent rollers. Also, the raceway 68, while wideenough to permit radial shifting of the rollers, is narrow enough (lessthan twice a rollers diameter) to prevent dislocation of the rollersfrom their serial positions when the device is not in use.

In operation of device E, an edge e of workpiece w, protruding into acircumferential slot 71, is moved tangentially in engagementsuccessively with the rollers 69 which hammer and roll against said edgeto deburr it.

THE SIXTH EMBODIMENT The device F of the sixth embodiment (FIGS. 19 and20), is similar to device E in principle of operation. It is simpler instructure, however, and is well suited as a smaller version of theinvention.

Device F comprises a pair of roller containers 72 and a series ofrollers 7 3 loosely contained within a raceway 74 formed by opposedannular channels 75 in the containers 72. Sleeve-like inner walls 76 ofsaid channels are of greater axial dimension than the outer walls 77 sothat when the two containers 72 are firmly fixed upon shaft 30, saidouter walls define a circumferential slot 78 therebetween. The width ofthe raceway 74 in relation to the diameters of the rollers and theaggregate of said diameters in relation to the length of the rollersorbit are such that, as with device E, the rollers work freely in theraceway without becoming serially displaced. Y

In the operation of device F, an edge e of a workpiece w is introducedinto slot 78 in engagement with the rapidly orbiting rollers 73 tohammer and roll said edge to remove burrs therefrom.

SOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS The parts of the disclosed devices shouldpreferably be of steel or other more or less equivalent material. Theballs or rollers should preferably be of hardened steel. The provisionof abrasive surfaces on the balls or in the grooves of the rollers isoptional but is considered to be of some advantage.

Operation of all the disclosed devices is similar in the manner ofholding and moving an edge to be deburred against deburring balls orrollers.

It should be apparent, from the foregoing, that various other structuralarrangements and devices may be employed, within the invention, toderive an edgedeburring effect as herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. A deburring device for deburring edges of sheet material, comprisingan annular peening-element container coaxially fixed upon a rotatableshaft and constrained to turn therewith, plural peening elements looselyretained in said container and capable of radially outward displacementarising from centrifugal force developed by rotation of said devicewhile so retained, and said container being formed with a continuouscircumferential slot providing an area for deburring interengagementbetween said peening elements and a workpiece edge.

2. A deburring device according to claim 1, said container beingprovided with an annular, coaxial cavity within which said peeningelements are retained; said cavity being uninterruptedly of uniform,generally rectangular shape in radial, axial planes at all pointstherearound.

3. A deburring device according to claim 2, said container comprising apair of similar coaxial cups fixed centrally upon said shaft withconcave portions of the cups facing each other and edges of sidewalls ofthe cups spaced apart to provide said circumferential slot.

4. A deburring device according to claim 2, said peening elements beingspherical.

5. A deburring device according to claim 3, said peening elements beingsimilar, generally cylindrical rollers each having a groove extendingcentrally there around, and the axes of said rollers extending axiallyof said shaft with all said grooves approximately in a common radialplane.

6. A deburring device according to claim 5, said annular cavity beingless, in radial dimension, than twice the diameter of one of saidrollers.

7. A deburring device according to claim 6, the aggregate of thediameters of all said rollers being less than the length of the orbitalpath of said rollers pursued during rotation of said device.

8. A deburring device according to claim 6, said device including anannular spacing element disposed centrally between said cups to spacethem apart, and the radial dimension of said annular cavity beingdefined by the periphery of said spacing element and the inner surfacesof side walls of said cups.

9. A deburring device according to claim 1, said container beingprovided with a coaxial cavity therewithin including plural, equidistantradial pockets, said peening elements being rollers of which one rolleris disposed loosely in each of said pockets; and said rollers havinggrooves approximately in a common plane corresponding to the plane ofsaid circumferential slot.

10. A deburring device according to claim 9, each of said rollers havinga central, grooved portion and trunnions at opposite sides of saidcentral portion coacting with a related one of said radial pockets forretention of the roller therewithin; said central portions of therollers protruding through said circumferential slot to the exterior ofthe device when the latter is in operation.

11. A deburring device according to claim 10, said container comprisinga pair of similar coaxial cups fixed centrally upon said shaft withconcave portions of the cups facing each other, a roller guide tightlyfixed upon said shaft, between said cups, to so space the latter thatthe edges of sidewalls of said cups define said circumferential slot;said side walls constituting the radially outer limits of said radialslots and being in interfering disposition relatively to said trunnionsto limit radially outward shifting of said rollers.

12. A deburring device according to claim 1, said peening elements beingrollers, and said container comprising a pair of annular roller elementsfixed coaxially upon said shaft in such spaced relationship as to formsaid circumferential slot, the opposing faces of said retainers havingsimilar series of roller receiving cavities formed therein, each seriescomprising radially extending, alternately larger and smaller cavities,said two roller retainers being held on the shaft in relative angularpositions in which the larger cavities of each retainer align with andare supplemented by the smaller cavities of the other retainer to formcomposite cavities each for holding a single roller, said rollers beingretained in said composite cavities in radially extending positionsalternately in opposite acute angular relation to said opposing facesand being free at their inner ends to swing to an increased angularrelation across said circumferential slot for deburring engagement witha workpiece edge disposed in said circumferential slot for deburring.

13. A deburring device according to claim 2, said peening elements beingcylindrical.

1. A deburring device for deburring edges of sheet material, comprisingan annular peening-element container coaxially fixed upon a rotatableshaft and constrained to turn therewith, plUral peening elements looselyretained in said container and capable of radially outward displacementarising from centrifugal force developed by rotation of said devicewhile so retained, and said container being formed with a continuouscircumferential slot providing an area for deburring interengagementbetween said peening elements and a workpiece edge.
 2. A deburringdevice according to claim 1, said container being provided with anannular, coaxial cavity within which said peening elements are retained;said cavity being uninterruptedly of uniform, generally rectangularshape in radial, axial planes at all points therearound.
 3. A deburringdevice according to claim 2, said container comprising a pair of similarcoaxial cups fixed centrally upon said shaft with concave portions ofthe cups facing each other and edges of sidewalls of the cups spacedapart to provide said circumferential slot.
 4. A deburring deviceaccording to claim 2, said peening elements being spherical.
 5. Adeburring device according to claim 3, said peening elements beingsimilar, generally cylindrical rollers each having a groove extendingcentrally therearound, and the axes of said rollers extending axially ofsaid shaft with all said grooves approximately in a common radial plane.6. A deburring device according to claim 5, said annular cavity beingless, in radial dimension, than twice the diameter of one of saidrollers.
 7. A deburring device according to claim 6, the aggregate ofthe diameters of all said rollers being less than the length of theorbital path of said rollers pursued during rotation of said device. 8.A deburring device according to claim 6, said device including anannular spacing element disposed centrally between said cups to spacethem apart, and the radial dimension of said annular cavity beingdefined by the periphery of said spacing element and the inner surfacesof side walls of said cups.
 9. A deburring device according to claim 1,said container being provided with a coaxial cavity therewithinincluding plural, equidistant radial pockets, said peening elementsbeing rollers of which one roller is disposed loosely in each of saidpockets; and said rollers having grooves approximately in a common planecorresponding to the plane of said circumferential slot.
 10. A deburringdevice according to claim 9, each of said rollers having a central,grooved portion and trunnions at opposite sides of said central portioncoacting with a related one of said radial pockets for retention of theroller therewithin; said central portions of the rollers protrudingthrough said circumferential slot to the exterior of the device when thelatter is in operation.
 11. A deburring device according to claim 10,said container comprising a pair of similar coaxial cups fixed centrallyupon said shaft with concave portions of the cups facing each other, aroller guide tightly fixed upon said shaft, between said cups, to sospace the latter that the edges of sidewalls of said cups define saidcircumferential slot; said side walls constituting the radially outerlimits of said radial slots and being in interfering dispositionrelatively to said trunnions to limit radially outward shifting of saidrollers.
 12. A deburring device according to claim 1, said peeningelements being rollers, and said container comprising a pair of annularroller elements fixed coaxially upon said shaft in such spacedrelationship as to form said circumferential slot, the opposing faces ofsaid retainers having similar series of roller receiving cavities formedtherein, each series comprising radially extending, alternately largerand smaller cavities, said two roller retainers being held on the shaftin relative angular positions in which the larger cavities of eachretainer align with and are supplemented by the smaller cavities of theother retainer to form composite cavities each for holding a singleroller, said rollers being retained in said composite cavities inradially extending positIons alternately in opposite acute angularrelation to said opposing faces and being free at their inner ends toswing to an increased angular relation across said circumferential slotfor deburring engagement with a workpiece edge disposed in saidcircumferential slot for deburring.
 13. A deburring device according toclaim 2, said peening elements being cylindrical.